Later, Jace entered camp and greeted Mkwawa. Louisa and Cynthia left their tent to join him. “Where’s Leigh?” Jace inquired.
“In her tent, reading, as usual. Where are the others?”
“Reid nicked a lion,” Jace responded. “Wounded predators are dangerous to the natives, so the law says a guide must trail an injured beast and slay it to prevent trouble. We’re supposed to meet back here. I guess they’re still hunting with Johi and the men. I’ll fetch Leigh for a nice walk before Chad returns. This is a lucky break for me. If you ladies will excuse me …”
Louisa followed the whistling male to Leigh’s tent. Through the mosquito netting, she and Jace saw the blonde lying on the ground, with a decapitated reptile nearby. She grinned maliciously.
Jace yanked the thin flap aside and dropped to his knees. He examined Leigh and said, “Bush snake. They’re deadly. It’s been some time since she was bitten. See how the area’s discolored. Damn! Hardly anybody survives such a bite.”
“He’s so big.” Louisa stated the obvious. “Is she …”
Jace listened to Leigh’s heart. “Not good. It’s too late to cut the wound and suck out the venom. There’s a Kikuyu village a few hours away. If anybody can save her, it’s the witch doctor there. It’s probably a waste of time,” he mumbled. As he worked, he fumed aloud, “How the hell did he get in here and why did she challenge him? Bush snakes normally avoid clearings, and they’ll crawl out of your path if you give ’em time. She should have screamed and run, or stayed on the cot. Hell, at least she got him, too. I’ll return or send word as soon as possible. Don’t tell Chad but I doubt she’ll make it. Let me handle him when I get back.” He lifted Leigh, tossed her over his shoulder, and rushed from camp.
The servants, other bearers, and the brunette gathered around the clearing. “What happened?” Cynthia asked.
“Little Leigh was bitten by a deadly snake. Jace thinks she’s too far gone to save. He’s rushing her to a local witch doctor. I wonder how Chad will take this news.”
Mkwawa shook his head and murmured, “Bwana Jace waste time. Bush snake fatal. See faces of men. They know she dead, too.”
Louisa watched the natives toss the snake into the campfire and begin to sing with lowered heads. “What are they doing?”
“They destroy enemy. They pray for her spirit to find peace. She dead by now. Bwana Jace be sad. She good woman.”
Hours later, the hunting party returned to camp with a large lion Reid had shot. The men were laughing and talking as they entered the clearing. The singing bearers carried the trophy suspended from a heavy pole by bound legs. Its tawny-and-black mane swayed with their movements, and water dripped from his ears and tail. A heavy rain was falling, but the soaked and jubilant men did not care. The lion was to be prepared and transported after the rain ceased.
Unmindful she was getting drenched, Louisa hurried to meet them. “There’s been a terrible accident, Chad. Leigh is-”
Chad slapped the redhead and shouted, “What did you do to her this time, you jealous bitch?”
Louisa rubbed her stinging cheek and glared at the man. “Nothing, you bastard! She was bitten by a snake.”
Chad pushed his ex-mistress aside and rushed toward Leigh’s tent. It was dark and empty. “Where is she?” he asked.
“Dead,” Louisa informed him. “But I’m not to blame.”
“Where is she?” Chad yelled again at the belligerent woman.
“Jace returned and took her to a witch doctor to see if the man could save her. Mkwawa and the others said such a bite was always fatal.”
Mkwawa explained to the startled men what had happened.
“Where is this village? Take me there immediately!”
“Which one, Mkwawa?” Johi asked.
“I know not, Wanjohi. Three are near.”
“We’ll track him,” Chad suggested.
“How can we? The rain leaves no trail.”
“It’s a trick,” Chad shouted. “He’s stolen my love!”
“No, it isn’t,” Louisa argued. “We all saw her. She had two bleeding holes on her leg. The area was yellow and green and reddish-blue. She was unconscious, hardly breathing. The snake was killed and burned. The bearers said—”
“I don’t give a damn what they said! I want to see her.”
The rainfall was hard and heavy. It pelted noisily on the large leaves and tents. It beat upon the people grouped together. The campfire was extinguished. The clearing was saturated, making the ground soft and mushy. Mud splattered on everyone’s boots. Daylight was vanishing in the almost blinding rain and impending dusk.
As water poured over him, Chad murmured, “She can’t be dead.”
“Why, because you think she was going to marry you?” Louisa scoffed, her curry-colored locks flattened against her pale skin. Water streamed off her hair and over her sullen face. She kept blinking her narrowed eyes to clear them. Her shirt and skirt clung to her body. “Or did you realize you’d lost her to Jace and had her killed? I know how desperately you craved her.”
“You whore! Get out of my sight! You’re nothing compared to her. If Jace has stolen her, I’ll kill him. By damn, I’ll kill him!”
“I’ll get you a strong drink, Chad,” Reid said, and fetched it.
Chad downed the Scotch with one gulp. “I don’t believe this.”
“They can’t all be lying, Chad,” the other man reasoned.
“They were fooled,” Chad argued before the crowd of men.
“You’re pathetic,” Louisa sneered and ran inside.
Cynthia glanced from Reid to Chad, then followed Louisa.
“Let’s get out of this downpour,” Reid advised.
Drenched, Jace stalked from the jungle. He went straight to Chad and slugged the man across the jaw. The blow sent Chad to the muddy ground. “What did you do this time, old friend,” Jace shouted. “Have a deadly snake put in her tent? I let both of you convince me you weren’t a threat to her. I thought you had changed; you seemed to be returning to your old self. I should have known that was impossible. You sorry bastard, you didn’t have to kill her to punish me again!”
“Where is Leigh?” Chad asked, looking behind Jace.
Fury and coldness exuded Jace. “Right where you sent her, to her grave. If you wanted her money this badly, she would have given it to you. Hell, I would have helped you get it so she could live.” Jace’s expression and tone altered to sadness, then bitterness. “You didn’t have to kill her, Chad. She lied, didn’t she? You do inherit, don’t you?”
Chad did not get up, as if the grim news made him weak. Mud oozed between his spread fingers, and water pooled around them. Rain flowed in rivulets over his black hair and pale face. He lowered his head to protect his eyes and nose from filling. “No, my mother does. But I didn’t harm Leigh. She can’t be dead. What did you do with her? I’ll have the authorities on your back tomorrow.”
Jace looked surprised, then angry. “So that’s why you came here! That’s your plot, isn’t it? Kill Leigh and frame me. Why, because your first frame didn’t get me killed? How can you hate me this much and for so long? Dammit, man, I didn’t betray you. I don’t deserve all this torment. It has to end, Chad. Why don’t we have a duel here and now to settle this destructive war for good?”
“This isn’t a game, Jace. I love her. I want to marry her. Bring her back and I’ll do anything you say. I’ll give you all the money, and I’ll confess to the crimes. I just want Leigh.”
Reid pulled Chad to his feet. “Can’t you see he’s tricking you into confessing to anything? It’s your grief talking, Chad. She’s dead. Nothing you say or do can bring her back. Stop this nonsense.”
Chad looked at Jace and glared. “She’s dead, and you’re using that to get revenge on me. You’re the one trying to frame me. You killed her and I know why!”
“If this wasn’t a setup to look like another accident,” Jace reasoned in a tight voice, “why did she have a bush knife in her hand? Did you hire some of Jim’s men to do your dirty work for you?”
A servant shook Jace’s arm and said, “I give her the knife. She asked. Little gun gone. She was afraid. It was kindness.”
Louisa returned. “You’re both fools. After you left camp this morning, Leigh said she wanted to ‘clear the air between us.’ She didn’t trust either one of you …” she began. Then, without revealing her side of the conversation, she told them what Leigh had related. “You’re both fools. She was duping both of you.”
Chad asked Jace, “She agreed to marry you, too?”
Jace gaped at Louisa. “No, she didn’t. I never proposed. I don’t know why she would tell Louisa such a tale. Maybe for the same reason she lied about that beau in America. That doesn’t change anything, Chad. You’re to blame for this. I would have persuaded her to marry me. Everything was going fine until recently. You did or said something to turn her against me. What was it? Did you tell her about Joanna, tell her I was after her for revenge?”
“I never mentioned Joanna to Leigh,” Chad yelled over the loud rain. “You’re up to something. If Leigh’s dead, I want to see her body.”
Jace’s jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. “What do you think I did with her? Left her bound to a tree in the jungle?”
“I think you left her in that village, sick or captive.”
“If it’s proof you want, you’ll get it at first light.”
“How do I know you’ll take me to the right village?”
Jace looked ready to strangle the man. “You’ll know when we dig up her grave and you see her body. It won’t be a pretty sight. You know what happens after a tropical snakebite.”
“Why didn’t you bring her back to camp?”
“And fight off hyenas and vultures all the way. You know what they do when they smell dead flesh. They would have attacked and devoured her. You couldn’t want such a fate for her. In the morning, I’ll take you to the Kikuyu village and you can dig her up.”
“That’s morbid, Chad,” Reid said. “You know what condition she’ll be in. Don’t look at her like that. Jace is in too much trouble to fake her death. Besides, he wouldn’t want you and your mother claiming her inheritance. She’s dead. Accept it.”
“Let him come with me, Reid,” Jace almost demanded, “that’s the only way he’ll believe me. I tried to save her, so don’t you try to pin another crime on me. I dare you to check her grave and body!”
In his emotional state, Chad concluded that Jace was too willing and eager to show him Leigh’s bloated and discolored body for her death not to be real. Chad wiped the rain from his smarting eyes, but they filled again in the deluge. “Get me out of this damn jungle in the morning. Rain or not, we’re heading for home.”
“Can’t wait to get back to spend her money?” Jace taunted.
“No, I can’t wait to be rid of you for good. I’ll pay you the twenty-five thousand pounds in Mombasa. Neither of us wins the bet.”
“Losing yours doesn’t matter. Losing hers does. I know the snake killed her, but I’m not convinced it wasn’t slipped into her tent.”
“Neither am I,” Chad vowed, hatred gnawing at him. Distress filled the man’s gaze. “Surely you didn’t kill her because of my mistake with Joanna and your other crazy suspicions. How could you?”
Jace glared at him. “No, you sorry bastard, I didn’t kill her.” He fetched a bottle of Scotch and a metal cup. He dropped wearily into a chair and began to drink. “I almost had her. Damn you for intruding and getting her killed. I should never have left her in camp today. I knew she was in danger from you and Louisa.”
“I had nothing to do with this, Jace,” Louisa declared.
“But you had something to do with those other incidents, didn’t you, bitch?” Chad accused. “That London attack, those gun problems, and that trouble at Fort Jesus. How else could you have known about them? You’ve been plotting against her the whole time! I’ll kill you.”
“You aren’t going to put the blame on me; I won’t be framed, damn you. Leigh told me about those incidents. I didn’t mention them because I thought you and Leigh set them up to ensnare Jace’s interest in her so he’d be our guide and so he’d lose the wager with you. I’m innocent, so I won’t stand here and be insulted.” She fled to her tent.
Johi touched Jace’s shoulder and said, “Bwana Jace-”
“Leave me alone, Johi,” Jace mumbled. “All of you, leave me alone, Lordy, she was too beautiful and gentle to die like that. Why couldn’t that snake have attacked one of you?” He took the bottle and cup, and trudged through the rain and mud to his tent.
Johi watched, looked sad and worried, then shook his head. He walked toward the bearer camp nearby.
“It’s over, Chad. Let’s get inside.”
Johi skirted the area and slipped behind Chad’s tent.
The two men entered. Reid tossed Chad a dry shirt and said, “There’s nothing we can do now but return home. It wasn’t all wasted; you have Webster International.”
Chad felt drained. “I wanted Leigh and the firm.”
“You can’t have her; she’s gone. Don’t let this loosen your wits and tongue, old friend. You were planning to kill her.”
“That was before I met Leigh and fell in love with her.”
“That’s right, but you changed your mind again. You realized she was duping you, so you were going to kill her after we reached this camp. You changed your plan again because of what she told you during that walk. Don’t you see how confused you’ve been?”
“She loved me and was going to marry me. She was fooling Jace.”
“You only have her claims she was duping him.”
“She didn’t lie, Reid.”
“Then why is Jace so crushed by her death?”
“He wanted her, too. We both lost this time.”
“What are you going to do about him? He’s still after you.”
Chad’s mind and body were numbing fast. “Nothing. Revenge got me into this trouble. I was going to lure Leigh here, kill her, and frame Jace. That all changed after her arrival in London. I decided to marry her and forget about Jace. I didn’t hurt her with those drugs in her canteen; I only did it to make her sick so I could cancel the safari and get her away from Jace. Then you and Louisa convinced me they were lovers, and I wanted to kill them both. I would have, if Leigh hadn’t told me everything during our walk. That talk told me you and that bitch were wrong. Leigh would have married me.”
Reid knew he couldn’t reach Chad’s deluded mind. “Do you think Jace pulled those other tricks? Or Louisa?”
Chad sank to his cot. “Yes, but what difference does it make now? My love is dead. Don’t talk anymore. I’m tired.”
At dawn, Chad left his tent and hurried through the rain and mud to Leigh’s. He found Jace sitting on her cot, holding one of Leigh’s shirts against his lowered face. “What are you doing in here?”
Jace lowered the garment and stared at Chad. He hadn’t shaved and he looked exhausted. “I held her in my arms and I saw her die, but I still can’t believe she’s gone. We did this to her, old friend. If you hadn’t insisted on leaving that last camp ahead of schedule, she wouldn’t have been in this area yesterday. And it was your order to leave the women behind so you could kill your big lion. I should have been the one giving orders, but she had me too distracted to keep my mind on business. What do you want to do with her things?” Jace lifted a book and glanced at it. He picked up her brush, pulled blond strands from the bristles, and gazed at them. He kicked at the boots near the cot supports, then cradled the Leigh-scented shirt again.
Chad glanced around the tent, and anguish filled his eyes. “Burn it. Burn it all. I couldn’t stand to look at this stuff all the way back, and nobody is touching or taking her things. When can we leave?”
Jace stood and flexed. “Mighty anxious to get to London, aren’t we? We can’t pack up and leave until the rain stops.”
Chad looked outside. “When will that be? It’s still pouring.”
“By midday. This is our long rainy season. It’s over in June, a week from today. You should have checked out the seasons before you planned this damned trip. If you’d waited until June…”
Chad hadn’t slept, either, and his wits were dulled. It was as if the bad years between them slipped away for a time, and two old friends were sharing a grim moment. “I didn’t think about it. I only wanted to get Leigh away so I could …”
Jace noticed the man’s mood. Almost tonelessly he said, “You should have remembered. This isn’t your first trip to Africa. That’s when this whole mess started. If you hadn’t stolen that ritual knife and provoked those Matabeles, none of this would have happened. You’re lucky they left that handsome face of yours alone, but the women you’ve snared with it weren’t so lucky. We’ve warred a long time, Chad. Look how it’s ended. We’re a fine pair of fools and losers. Joanna and Leigh are gone. We’ve been hating each other and battling for years. I really thought we could make a truce. Hell, I was stupid and gullible enough to believe you when you offered one. Sometimes I think about our years as best friends, and I miss them. I still can’t understand how this happened to us. It makes me mad. Lordy, I’m tired.”
Chad looked the suffering man over. “You look terrible. Did you sit here drinking all night?”
“Most of it, but it didn’t help.” Jace stood and flexed. He rubbed his stubbled jawline and weary eyes. He finger-combed his tousled hair. “Why don’t we rest and hunt here for another week while we clear our heads?” the green-eyed man suggested. “You still have three paid weeks of your safari. Leaving isn’t going to change matters.”
“I have to get home and forget this … accident. There’ll be a lot of changes to handle. She would have been damned good at that firm. I took her around several days. She is so smart and quick.”
“Was, Chad. Was smart and quick. Where is your mother?”
Chad sighed deeply. “In India. She went there with friends to get over William’s death. This news will shock her. Of course she barely knew Leigh. But I knew her. What happened, Jace?”
“What do you mean?” Jace probed the weary man.
“To us. Here. Why did she have to die when everything was going so well? No woman has touched me as Leigh Webster did. We could have been so happy together. You and I could have made peace and become friends again. Her love taught me to forgive you. Why did fate hurt me again? I didn’t do anything wrong this time. It’s this land. Africa!” he accused in bitterness and mind-dazing grief. “I have to get away from here before something else happens to me.”
“It’s a hundred kilometers to the Athi River,” Jace related. “I’ll send two bearers ahead to hail boats. Plenty of them use the river to transport goods close to Nairobi. Then carts, take supplies on into town. Traveling by river will be easier and faster with all this rain to raise the water level.”
“How far and long to Mombasa?”
“The Athi converges with the Tsovo and Galana. That’ll put us two days from the rail line. We can camp there until the next supply load passes, then catch a ride.” Jace murmured as he figured the time and distance, “About five or six days to the river, about the same to the Galana, two or three days to the rail line, half-day by train. That should get us to Mombasa by June eighth or so, about two weeks more or less. It all depends on the rains and stops.”
“Lets get out of here as soon as we can.”
“Would you like me to take you to that Kikuyu village to visit Leigh’s grave?” Jace asked. “She had a decent burial. We can be there and back before everything is loaded.”
“No, I want to remember her as she was, beautiful and vital.”
“I’ll leave Thiku behind. When this tent dries, he can burn it all. I never want to use it again. Since we’ve used a lot of supplies, we don’t need as many bearers on the way back. I’ll release some of them at the river to head home to Nairobi.” As if that jogged his memory, Jace murmured, “I wonder how Jim Hanes is doing with his cracked leg. It’s been weeks, so it should be almost healed by now. I may stop in Nairobi on my return home and check on him. Leigh might still be alive if Jim had been your guide; he uses different hunting locations. It seems that everything worked into cruel fate’s hands this time. This safari was doomed from the start. But you and I were too caught up in our trouble to read the danger signs, and we had plenty of them along the way. So many curious incidents should have warned us of peril. Dammit, why didn’t I keep my wits clear?”
Those words jogged Chad’s memory, and cleared part of his wits. Jim was supposed to be in Mombasa awaiting payment for his ruse. Considering the passage of time and easy travel on the river and train, Jace shouldn’t be surprised to see the other safari guide in town. If he hadn’t been determined to kill his old friend, Jim would have been their guide, and Leigh would be alive. Guilt chewed at Chad. He had to leave before his grief revealed something incriminating. “I’ll go pack” was all he said, and left.
Jace sighed in relief and knew the hardest part of this scheme was done. His behavior and words had duped the distraught Chad. He relaxed his taut muscles and smiled in victory. He reclined on Leigh’s cot, closed his eyes, and envisioned the scene in her tent yesterday.
While keeping a watch on the camp through the tent flap covering, Jace had smeared a greenish-yellow mixture onto Leigh’s flesh, pinching the selected area hard to produce a reddish-blue spot. He used his sharp hunting knife to pierce two tiny holes in the unconscious blonde’s leg. He watched blood seep from the round wounds and ease over her discolored calf. He wiped the sterilized blade and put it into its sheath at his waist, then poured antiseptic over the injury. He placed her on the ground as if she had collapsed, then laid the deadly bush snake, with its decapitated head and long body, that he had killed beside her. A bloody machete was placed near her right hand.
Jace gathered Leigh a change of clothes for the five-day trip to his plantation. He added one washcloth, one drying cloth, a bar of soap, and the extra brush he had brought with him for this occasion. He couldn’t take too many things or it would arouse the others’ suspicions. Besides, he had left a note from “Leigh Webster” ordering her possessions to be shipped to America, to await her arrival there: that trick should confuse Chad. Yet his man was not to deliver her baggage to the ship; he was to take it to Jace’s home as requested by Jace. Suspecting from the start that Leigh’s life was in peril, Jace had made plans to remove her from jeopardy the moment he felt the situation demanded action. That time had arrived, thankfully in this advantageous location. When all appeared in order for his daring ploy, he brushed away evidence of his presence and sneaked out the back of Leigh’s tent into the jungle.
Later he returned to complete his ruse in camp. He met Buha and Jomo at the assigned place. The men and supplies were ready. He stuffed quinine tablets and a note into her possessions. He washed the colorful deception from the injured area, tended the wounds with medicine to prevent infection, and rebandaged her leg. They talked a few minutes in Swahili, then Jace said, “You know what to do with her. You took care of the fake grave at the village in case Chad demands to see it? The chief will go along with our trick?”
The men nodded to both questions, took the lovely burden, and left the area. Jace sat down to rest. He would return to camp after dark with the grim news of Leigh Webster’s death. Considering the legal charges that already existed against him, this could make matters worse. By faking Leigh’s death, two people would take over her holdings, and he wanted to know those names. At least, it wouldn’t be Chad or Fiona, he mused, and Leigh would be alive to straighten out the ruse later, if he ever released her. His scheme had worked so far. He had Leigh at his mercy or he had her safe, whichever proved to be true. She would be held captive at his plantation until he guided the others back to Mombasa. Then …
Jace halted the dreamy reflection. He got off the cot, glanced around the tent, then hurried to his. Thiku would be ordered to pack Leigh’s remaining possessions and take them to the plantation not far from Nairobi. She should be delighted to have her belongings again. The books would give her something to do during the next three to four weeks before his arrival home. He knew the rain would halt soon. Then he could get these people gone, and return home himself. He hadn’t learned anything from Chad about those London crimes, but he recalled how Chad—and Reid—had behaved last night.
Jace’s green eyes narrowed and darkened as Johi joined him and gave a shocking report. He now knew the motive for Chad’s trip, and the unexpected change in the man’s plot. Leigh had been right about her guardian’s love and innocence. The haunting question was, if Chad hadn’t been trying to kill Leigh, who had, and why? With luck and stealth, perhaps he could get the answer during the return trip.
Leigh became aware of a bouncing movement. Her mouth was dry, her head cloudy. The sun was playing on her face through the trees and she heard birds and monkeys chattering overhead. A strange weakness assailed her body and she tried to force open her heavy lids, but they refused to work. She dozed again.
When she aroused, Leigh saw that she was being carried by two brown-skinned bearers on a makeshift stretcher. The two men were loaded with packs. Her clothes and hair had dried, so she was unaware of yesterday’s rain. The sun’s position indicated it was afternoon. “Stop!” she commanded. “Where are you taking me?” She leaned to one side, glancing before and behind them. “Where are the others?”
The men spoke to each other in their language, and halted. They lowered the stretcher. One passed her a canteen.
Leigh stared at the water container. Images of Jace flooded her head. He had sneaked into her tent, pinned her down, held her nose, and forced her to drink a bitter liquid. Now she was alone with these two men, his men. “What’s going on?” she demanded.
One man pointed to himself and said, “Jomo.” He motioned to the other and said, “Buha.” He untied a bundle and handed her a note.
Leigh took the paper and read it:
Dear Miss Webster,
Jomo and Buha do not speak English. They will take good care of you. Don’t forget your quinine tablets every day. Drink only the water they provide. They will not harm you if you behave yourself, but they are ordered to make certain you do as told. Escape is impossible. They’re taking you to my home to await my arrival. I should be there within three to four weeks. Abena will see to your needs. Don’t try anything reckless or foolish. A few words you might need: asante is thank you, ndiyo is yes, hapana is no, chakula is food, maji is water, kula is eat, lala is sleep, acheni is stop, bibi is lady, and iyoo means you need to be excused. Good luck. You’ll need it, my golden lioness, my deceitful beauty. Soon all your secrets and charms will be mine.
Jace
Leigh eyed the two men and plundered through the bundle. Jace must have assumed Chad told her about their wager that day because he had started acting strangely afterward. If this was a trick to save her life or one to keep them together, why hadn’t he told her and enlisted her approval and aid? His note was far from a love letter. Something was terribly wrong. She was astonished by Jace’s boldness. She could not imagine how he hoped to get away with such a deed. Surely Chad was enraged by now and would have the authorities searching for her soon. Surely the first place they would look was the plantation. Jace would never kill all of them just to kidnap her!
Her mind was in a maelstrom. He could have faked an abduction by natives, particularly if he had an unshakable alibi this time, such as the others on the hunt not knowing he had sneaked away for a time. Farfetched though it was, he could have hired friendly natives to dress as savage warriors to fool Louisa and Cynthia into being witnesses to her false kidnapping.
Leigh knew that Jace wasn’t rash or stupid or crazy. There had to be a way for him to carry out this treachery without endangering or incriminating himself. How, she fretted, and why? She noticed the bandage on her leg. She yanked it off and gaped at the injury that appeared to be a snakebite. More wild speculations raced through her mind. Even if he faked a bite, how could he fake her death? How could he get her “body” away from Chad? Even if he pulled this stunt before the others reached camp, Chad would insist on viewing the evidence of her death.
Jomo brushed away mosquitoes and flies from the tiny wounds and rebandaged her leg to protect it. He offered her water again.
Leigh took the canteen and drank. It did not take long to realize it was not drugged, but Jace’s wicked deed in her tent made her suspicious of those other drugging incidents. She could not help but believe he had been behind them. She had given him a last chance to be honest with her, and this was his response. She ate the bread and tropical fruit handed to her. All she could do was obey the men. As Jace’s note warned, she could not escape into the perilous jungle. In a short time, she was feeling strong and healthy again.
The men gathered their burdens, placed Leigh between them, and their journey continued.
That night, camp consisted of a protective fire, three bedrolls under mosquito netting, a few supplies, and the three people. The two men talked to each other, but Leigh could not understand them. She wished she knew more African words than Jace had supplied. A lion roared in the distance. She clutched her cover to her neck and wished for a weapon. Despite her tension and doubts, she fell asleep soon, the walk having exhausted her.
They traveled for three days, trekking through the jungle and across grasslands without sighting anyone. Each night, Jomo boiled water and filled their canteens. Buha hunted small game and fruit for their meals. The two men shared camp chores. They allowed her to slip behind underbrush whenever she said, “lyoo.” They even corrected her pronunciations of their words and taught her a few more. If only she knew how to say, “help,” “crime,” and “reward for rescue.” But even if she could, she doubted it would matter to them.
On the second evening, she had been permitted to bathe in a safe pool where water cascaded from a foothill. She had donned clean garments and washed the others, which would be dry by morning to pack. Leigh was glad Jace had sent along a few extra items.
On the third day, Jomo had whispered, “Acheni.”
Leigh had stopped as ordered. Jomo had pointed to a leopard on early prowl. They had hidden until the spotted predator was gone. Leigh had been nervous, but the two men had carbines. She hadn’t been tempted to steal or to snatch one to escape, as she knew she could never make it out of the jungle alone. She didn’t even know which direction to take to civilization and safety.
During the trek, the two men called her “Bibi Leigh.” They were friendly, protective, and kind.
On what she assumed was the fifth day since her abduction, Jomo pointed ahead to reveal Jace’s home.
Leigh was amazed by what loomed before her wide eyes. There was an enormous clearing where coffee bushes covered the ground for a long distance. She noticed native workers amongst them.
Foothills surrounded the clearing, slopes with lush vegetation and trees. There was a huge open shed with equipment. A few hundred yards from it was a white wall that encircled the large home. Between solid sections, there was iron fencing. No doubt, she mused, to keep out wild animals while allowing for scenic views and air flow, and too high to scale for escape. So, this was Green Hills Plantation. She realized how aptly it was named.
Leigh followed the two men to a gate. It was open. They did not enter, but Jomo called to the housekeeper. She stared at what reminded her of a Spanish hacienda with its woodwork, style, white exterior, arched walkway, and red roof. The yards were clean. Floral bushes and tropical plants created a beautiful and tranquil setting. A swing for two was suspended from the branch of a large tree. A water-supply system could be seen over the roof: a giant container to catch rainwater, then pipes to let off the excess and carry it inside. She guessed the encompassing white-painted wall was ten feet high. She glanced through the decorative iron fencing that was located every ten feet or so along the wall. She scanned her surroundings again. Everything was breathtaking, incredible. She had difficulty believing she was in the middle of a jungle in Africa.
“Jambo, Abena. Habari?” Jomo greeted the stocky African woman who joined them and asked how she was doing.
“Mzuri. Karibu. Habari ya safari?” Abena told them she was fine, welcomed them, and asked how their journey went.
After the three Africans talked a few minutes, the older woman met the blonde’s gaze and said, “Welcome, Bibi Leigh. You expected. I here to serve you. Come inside to rest.”
“You speak English,” Leigh murmured in surprise and relief.
“I speak good English, for many years. Kwaheri,” she told the two men good-bye. “Come. Must eat, rest, bathe.”
Leigh observed the woman of about fifty who was short and plump. Abena wore a colorful shift in native material. A matching bandanna concealed her hair. The woman smiled, exposing white teeth amidst a deep brown complexion. Her chocolate eyes sparkled with interest and friendliness. “Where is your daughter, Ka’arta?” Leigh tested Jace’s words from that day in Mombasa.
“Ka’arta lives in village. She helps missionary speak to our people. She knows English more than Abena. When coffee berries ripe, she helps pick. She go Mombasa with Wanjohi for supplies. I work day for Bwana Jace. I go home night. I be close. No need to fear.”
“Bwana Jace kidnapped me,” Leigh charged. “That’s against the law. He’ll be arrested and taken to prison. You must let me go.”
Unruffled, Abena asked, “Go where?”
“Home.”
“You far from home. Must stay inside and be safe.” The woman closed the gate, locked it, and dropped the key into her pocket. “Come,” she coaxed, and walked toward the house.
Clutching her small bundle, Leigh followed the woman. “You must help me escape, Abena, or you’ll be in trouble, too. What Jace did is wrong, bad. Lawmen will come after me and him.”
Abena halted and turned. Displeased, she refuted, “Bwana Jace not bad, never wrong. He say keep you safe. He law here.”
“You don’t understand, Abena,” Leigh reasoned. “Jace and I are enemies. He tried to hurt me, to kill me. He stole me from my family. I will not stay in his home.”
The woman looked Leigh over and frowned. “No speak evil of Bwana Jace. No man good and kind as him.”
“You don’t know what he’s like. He’s mean and—”
The older woman backed away a few steps. She no longer smiled. “Say no more, Bibi Leigh. When comes home, you tell him such things. Abena his friend and servant. I cannot help you.”
Leigh watched the woman enter the house. She realized the servant would not listen to her accusations or aid her escape. She glanced at the locked gate, the high wall, and the iron fence. Jail! she fretted. Jace had captured her and imprisoned her. She wondered why. If he intended to murder her, she would be dead by now. Perhaps, she worried, Chad had told him what she said about not honoring her bet. Louisa had learned about all wagers, so she could have told Jace with the hopes he would get her out of Chad’s life. Perhaps Jace merely planned to force her to pay her debt to him …
Leigh was alarmed, afraid, and angry. There was no escape without help, and no one here would provide it. She must make friends with the housekeeper and workers. It would be a mistake to turn them against her. Perhaps in time … But how much time did she have before Jace arrived to collect?
Leigh was intimidated by doubts and fears. She decided to think about them later. She went inside the house, astonished by what greeted her alert senses. The living area was enormous, open and airy. The heavy furniture was in dark wood, and was spaced well in the room. The floors were polished and shiny and the high ceilings were beamed with dark wood, making a lovely contrast to the white walls and light-colored fabrics. Plants were here and there in various-size containers. Several paintings—all African scenes and animals—hung on the walls. Other African objects were placed at vantage points. A piano sat near one corner. Decorative oil lamps and candleholders were sources of light after dark. Drapes were pulled aside and belted. Mesh screens of a thin material covered the windows and doors to keep out insects. It was impressive and immaculate.
Leigh heard noises. She followed them through an archway into a dining room, then into a kitchen. There she saw a sink, working counters, a wood stove, cabinets, a round table with four chairs, and the servant. Abena was preparing food for her.
Leigh approached the woman and said, “I’m sorry if I upset you, Abena, but I’m upset. I’m scared and confused. I don’t know why Jace drugged me and kidnapped me. He and my uncle are terrible enemies. Suspicious accidents kept happening to me on the safari. Jace kept threatening me. I don’t know why I’m a prisoner.”
The woman softened. “Bwana Jace have good reason. He tell you why when he comes home.”
“When is he arriving? How did he explain my abduction? He’ll be in terrible trouble for doing this. My uncle will have the law after him. I must go to Mombasa to show him I’m alive and well. Please have the men take me there. I promise to keep Jace out of trouble.”
“He return soon. I not know answers to questions, but you safe. Sit, eat. I prepare a bath. Full stomach, clean body, clean clothes make you better.”
Leigh gave up on the woman’s assistance for the present. She took a seat and ate the hot meal. When she finished, she placed her dishes in the sink. She was amazed by the clever water system that made chores easier for any woman working in this kitchen.
Leigh went to look for Abena. Against the front wall of the house was a long hall. Leigh called out, “Abena?”
The woman’s scarfed head appeared from one room. “Come.”
Leigh went to join her. Once more, amazement consumed the blonde. The spacious room held a large tub with a pipe over one end and a control valve. A drainpipe near the floor exited the house.
“Must keep plug in,” Abena said. “If not, snakes and spiders get in tub. Mosquitoes and flies come in house.”
Leigh glanced at the toilet. A water tank was suspended above it on the wall, with a long chain to flush it. She noted a smaller sink, shelves with linens and bathing supplies, a mirror, and lamps on the wall. The one window was high for privacy. Leigh’s mouth was agape.
“How did Jace do all of this in the jungle?” she inquired.
“House built by other man. He sold to Bwana Jace. Bwana Jace do many smart things to house. Make it pretty and comfortable. He see many things sailing around world. He learn them and do here. He plenty smart. Good man, as Abena tell you.”
Leigh noticed how the woman could speak good English at times or drop words in excitement at others.
“You want Abena to help? You want Abena to go?”
Leigh had never bathed before a stranger. She smiled and said, “Thank you, but I can manage alone.”
“All you need here. I be in kitchen.” She left the room.
Leigh stripped off the dirty garments. She removed her walking boots. Her eyes noticed the bandage. She removed it, staring at the clever wound and wondering again how and why Jace had faked the snakebite. She couldn’t wait to hear his explanation.
The slender female climbed into the sun-heated water. It felt wonderful. She leaned back and relaxed. Leigh didn’t know what kind of house she had expected Jace Elliott to have, but it certainly wasn’t one this beautiful and efficient. What a surprising man he was.
After a time, Leigh took the washcloth and soap. As she lathered it, she realized the bar had a floral scent. Her brows lifted, and she smiled. After bathing her body and scrubbing her hair, she rinsed the tawny locks beneath the fill pipe.
Leigh stepped out of the tub. She dried herself and wrapped the large cloth about her. The polite girl bent forward and washed out the tub, being careful to plug the drain securely.
Her blue gaze touched on the medicine and a fresh bandage that Abena had placed on the sink. Suspicion and anger filled Leigh again. It was obvious Jace had planned this ruse from the start, and Abena knew all about it, else she would not have lain out such items.
As Leigh jerked a robe from a hook, she was shocked to discover it was one of her own, left behind in Mombasa. She donned it and went to find that sneaky housekeeper.
“Where did this come from?” she demanded.
Abena turned, looked at the robe whose front the girl was holding between her fingers, and said, “Bwana Jace sent for you. Have many things in your room. I show you.”
“How did you know about this?” Leigh asked, lifting the robe and pointing to her injured leg. “Bwana Jace did that to me.”
Abena frowned, creating creases on her forehead and between her brows. “Jomo tell Abena Bibi Leigh hurt.”
“Listen to me, Abena,” Leigh demanded, then explained how she had been drugged and brought here. “I know that looks like a snakebite, but I wasn’t bitten by anything. It’s a trick. How can you defend a criminal and help him commit such a wicked crime?”
“I obey Bwana Jace. Come, I show you room.” The vexed woman left the kitchen with Leigh trailing close behind.
There were four doors along the hallway. The woman guided Leigh to the third one, a bedroom.
“You stay here. Bwana Jace’s room next; it locked. Office locked. I be in kitchen.” The now-reserved African left her there.
Leigh fumed at the woman’s stubborn behavior and her own mistake. She peeked out the door and heard noises from the kitchen. She checked Jace’s bedroom and office doors; they were indeed locked. The vexed blonde returned to the guest room and closed the door; it would not lock without a key. She looked through the drawers and closet, stunned to find them filled with her own possessions.
“Is there no end to your boldness, Mr. Elliott?” she mumbled.. “How did you get these away from the hotel? How will you explain their absence?” Reality engulfed Leigh. “You planned this abduction from the start. All the time you were romancing me, you were waiting to kidnap me. Damn you! You were lying and cheating the whole time. You were going to make certain I lost our bet and paid off immediately. You dirty, rotten bastard. You won’t get away with this.”
Three days later, Jace and the safari party reached the Athi River. Two flat-decked boats were awaiting them, along with the men sent ahead to hail the cargo carriers.
One captain waved, smiled, and shouted, “Good to see you, Jace. You got trouble and need a lift?”
Jace went forward and shook his hand. “We lost a member of the safari to a bush-snakebite. The others don’t want to continue. We only had a couple of weeks to go. Thanks for waiting, Daniel.”
“That’s too bad, but it happens. These English don’t realize how dangerous the jungle is. They think it’s all fun and games. They come here dressed and prepared for a tea party or afternoon stroll.” Daniel hushed as Chad joined them and was introduced.
Jace looked sad as he informed the captain, “Leigh was his ward and niece. She was only twenty, beautiful and enchanting. We didn’t find her in time to give any help.”
“Wouldn’t have done any good if you had,” Daniel replied. “Bush snakes are deadly. We’ll get you loaded and push off.”
“I’ll pay you in Mombasa.”
“No charge, friend. You’ve done plenty of favors for me.”
The extra bearers, those not needed for the last trek between river and train, were dismissed to head home. Jace’s men trusted him and knew he would send their payment after he received his at the end of every journey. The baggage and passengers were put aboard the two boats and off they went. The river was high because of recent rains, so they made good time.
Jace sat cross-legged on the deck. He leaned his head against a support post and pretended to close his eyes but watched the others through narrow slits. Johi and the bearers were on the second boat; the two couples were with him. Everyone was silent and almost sullen. Chad drank heavily, and Reid stayed wrapped over the man like a cloak. Louisa and Cynthia kept to themselves, whispering and scowling.
To Jace, the redhead seemed to. have given up on her pursuit of Chad. At first she had tried to repair the damaged relationship, but Chad had scorned and avoided the female as if she were a noxious disease. Observing the gleams of hatred and revenge in Louisa’s eyes, Jace was glad he wasn’t in Chad wick Hamilton’s place.
Jace hoped the couples would relax and open up during the trip downriver. As it was perilous to travel at night, they would make camp each day at dusk. With others around, especially the amiable Daniel, perhaps the hunting party would settle down.
Jace thought about Leigh Webster ensconced at his home. He could hardly wait to confront her, to force the truth from those lovely and lying lips. He had to extract the secret she and Chad were withholding from him. No doubt the devious and delightful creature was plenty scared. That was good, he decided. It would make his impending task of extracting information easier.
Yet these days of separation had worked hard on him. Jace dreamed about her at night and thought about her all day. He couldn’t forget how Leigh looked at him, how she held him and kissed him, how she made love to him. She did not do those things like a guileful woman. No matter her secrets and original plans, the woman seemed to love him. He couldn’t get their last night together off his mind. She had been passionate but troubled. She had confessed to how much she wanted him. She had hinted at problems to be resolved later. Yet she had made love to him as if it were their last time. Something had her confused, frightened, and tightlipped. He had to unravel that mystery soon.
Jace reasoned that Leigh had to have good reasons for taking the actions she had. Whatever was troubling her, he aimed to discover it. Jace also couldn’t forget what she had told him about investigating Chad. Perhaps Leigh had faked affection toward Chad to fool her guardian. That would mean she believed Chad was a liar and a threat and was afraid of the man. But how had Chad discovered their wager, if Leigh hadn’t told him? Why would she expose such a shocking and damaging secret? And when had she done so? It must have been during that long talk at their last camp. Something Chad told her had provoked the exposure, and the change in Leigh.
On reflection, there had been almost desperation in her lovemaking and mood that night. It was as if she had been trying to prove her feelings, to test him, to entice something from him. Had she wanted to evoke a stronger commitment from him before baring her soul, and heart? Had she wanted him to confess, explain, deny something Chad had told her? What would she have said if he had revealed his love and had proposed? Since he hadn’t responded as she needed him to, how had his stubborn silence affected her?
On the other hand, if she believed Chad loved her and wasn’t a threat, who did she think was after her? Jace Elliott?